Directed by John Carney — Screenplay by John Carney.
Set in Dublin, Ireland, John Carney’s Flora and Son follows the titular characters — Flora (played by Eve Hewson) and her son Max (played by Orén Kinlan) — as the struggling mother makes an effort to grow closer to her son, who is on the wrong track and on the bad side of the law. Flora, who had her son when she was in her late teens, feels like life has passed her by. She doesn’t have a good relationship with her rebellious son or his father (played by Jack Reynor), and all she has to look forward to is going to a local nightclub to dance, drink, meet men, and start all over again. In an attempt to reach out to her son, she finds an old guitar in a waste container, has it restored, and presents it to her completely disinterested son. Flora decides to take part in online guitar lessons with Los Angeles-based Jeff (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), whom Flora is instantly smitten by. As the film goes forward, Flora and Max’s growing interest in music brings them closer together.
Ever since I first saw John Carney’s Once, I’ve been a big fan of his work. I think I like his Keira Knightley-led Begin Again more than most — and I think Sing Street is a near-masterpiece. I find his films’ connection between musicality and outward emotionality to be infectious and rewarding for the soul. So, I was super excited to see Flora and Son, which reteamed him with a couple of Sing Street cast members including Jack Reynor and Don Wycherley. And while this film isn’t quite as good as his best films, Flora and Son still has warmth and love running through it. It’s a wonderful feel-good movie.
So, what holds it back from being as accomplished as Once, Begin Again, and Sing Street? Well, for one thing, I think the story here feels relatively familiar for a Carney flick. The narrative involving a parent growing closer to their child through music is, essentially, what also happens in the B-plot of Begin Again involving Mark Ruffalo and Hailee Steinfeld. I’ll also add that it constantly reminded me of the superior Glasgow-set Tom Harper musical drama Wild Rose starring a phenomenal Jessie Buckley. Wild Rose is, similarly, about a young mother who has her eyes set on music dreams but, at the same time, she also has to face her complicated relationships with her children and the law. Wild Rose, which is one of the best films of 2018, features a brilliant lead performance and genuinely heart-achingly good original music. Flora and Son has simpler ambitions than Wild Rose, as the latter film had more heft to it. I will also say that I did have some nitpicks concerning Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s online guitar teacher, as the strength of his online connection is so crystal clear and perfectly timed that certain scenes aren’t all that realistic (so some suspension of disbelief is required). However, I did really like how Carney got around the challenge of making the online Zoom lessons feel less static.
The music in Flora and Son isn’t quite as good as in the other principal John Carney films. The film does eventually come up with a very sweet performance of a quietly moving song, but I don’t think its songs will stick with me as much as the songs in Once (e.g. “Falling Slowly,”), Begin Again (e.g. “Lost Stars,”), and Sing Street (e.g. “Drive It Like You Stole It,”) have. I’ll also add that even though it is true that problems such as the ones faced by Flora in her challenges with parenthood — due to Max’s father not ultimately being as dedicated as her — aren’t as easily resolved as it may seem from some Hollywoodesque films, I did think that the subplot involving Jack Reynor’s character wasn’t as neatly confronted and resolved as I desired upon first viewing.
But Flora and Son is still the kind of soft and sweet crowdpleaser that John Carney has such expertise in through his use of musicality. It is a real charmer, and I think of it as a nice, warm blanket to cuddle up with. One of the reasons why this film really works is that in casting Eve Hewson, the filmmakers have found someone who lends a credible authenticity to her performance. Hewson really goes for it as a sometimes foul-mouthed charmer, and she is delightful to watch in the film. Concerning her performance as an actor, there are no false notes in Flora and Son. Had the music been a little stronger and had it not felt as familiar as it ultimately does, it would’ve been right up there with Carney’s best. But, as it is, it is merely a really good crowd-pleasing music film — still, a definite recommendation.
7.7 out of 10
– Review Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 